


Soldier Keep On Marching On

by TheDarkLordMegatron



Series: Zine Pieces [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: (That's kinda central to this whole thing and no it is not Iris' child), Angst, As in platonic - Freeform, Child Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Lost in Wars Zine, Mentions of Potential Alcoholism, Uncle-Niece Relationship, Zine piece, this is not shipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:02:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27746431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkLordMegatron/pseuds/TheDarkLordMegatron
Summary: My piece for the Lost In Wars zine!It wasn’t the first time he had found her huddled beneath a threadbare blanket that barely protected her from the rain, her back to the shoddy wooden memorial the people of Lestallum had cobbled together. Nor was it the first time he had seen a whiskey bottle at her feet with a single shot glass lying beside it.In which Iris struggles to cope with the loss of a close friend and her inability to save everyone.
Relationships: Iris Amicitia & Cor Leonis
Series: Zine Pieces [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1505765
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Soldier Keep On Marching On

It wasn’t the first time he had found her huddled beneath a threadbare blanket that barely protected her from the rain, her back to the shoddy wooden memorial the people of Lestallum had cobbled together. Nor was it the first time he had seen a whiskey bottle at her feet with a single shot glass lying beside it. It was, however, the first time he had found her in such a position during a thunderstorm - a childhood fear that often kept her hidden away in the confines of their hastily constructed apartment.

The single bulb erected as a means of illuminating the small space, swung precariously above her head as Cor moved to stand beside her; stripping off his jacket and tucking it securely around her shoulders before settling down onto the cold, damp stone. Together they sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the storm above them, the howling of the wind as it tore through the streets and the distant rumbling of the generators. It was eerily reminiscent of the numerous times they had sat on the roof of the Citadel alongside Clarus, Gladiolus, Regis, and Noctis. The six of them watching storms roll in from beyond the Wall before retreating to the safety of the building. Tilting his head back to rest it against the wooden structure behind him, Cor raised his face to the pitch-black sky and closed his eyes, allowing the icy droplets of rain to add a chill to his already permanently cold skin. Oh, how things had changed.

“Kanan died.” Had he not been waiting for her to speak, he would have missed the softly spoken words. Opening his eyes once more Cor turned to look at her, remaining silent as he waited for her to continue. Iris shifted, bringing a hand out from beneath the blanket to curl her fingers around the edges of his well-worn jacket. “The Scourge was spreading too quickly, we couldn’t save him. Medics said it’d be kinder to let him drift off in his sleep, that he’d only be in pain if we made him hold on.” She shuffled closer, pressing her right shoulder against his left. “It was his sixth birthday today,” She continued, her voice cracking ever so slightly. “Was going to give him this, asked Talcott to make it for him.” Her other hand appeared from beneath the fabric, revealing a Carbuncle figurine, not too dissimilar to the one Noctis used to carry around with him as a young boy. She allowed him to observe it for a few moments before closing her fingers around it and pulling it close to her chest, bowing her head as she did so. “I promised him that when we got back I’d introduce him to Gladdy and show him pictures of the sun.”

Sighing heavily Cor lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug as she let out a broken sob. He hadn’t had a chance to visit the young boy that Iris had saved from a doomed caravan four months prior, but he had heard enough from her to know that in the short time they had been together, she had come to see him as a little brother of sorts. Kanan had been a ray of sunshine in Iris’ dark, dark world.

“I promised Dave I’d protect him,” Iris choked out through her tears, her hands clutching the Carbuncle tightly to her chest while Cor kept his silence. He had been trying to get her to open up, to tell him what had happened ever since she had stumbled through the gates of Lestallum covered in blood, missing three fingers and holding a child. Not even Gladiolus had been able to get her to talk. “When the Daemons came for us, Kanan’s parents died first. A Giant cut the truck in half, they never even stood a chance.” She ran a thumb over the little wooden face. “Dave knew them, knew Kanan, they were his friends. Told me he knew Kanan’s dad since they were kids.” A fork of lightning illuminated their little sanctuary, followed by a particularly harsh gust that had Cor pulling Iris closer in an attempt to keep her warm, as though she was still a toddler that had run into his office screaming for her ‘Uncle Cor’ to protect her.

“We tried to fight them off,” She continued “But there were only five of us and so many of them. So many Cor. We couldn’t...I thought I was going to die there. That we were all going to die. Then Dave grabbed me and put Kanan in my arms. He told me to run, to get back to Lestallum. I tried to tell him no, that I’m an Amicitia and I should stay behind to protect them while they ran but he shouted at me. Dave shouted at me Cor, he was so scared.” Her voice trailed off as she turned her face upwards to meet his gaze. “He was crying but he told me to run. He wanted us to be safe and I...I ran. I took Kanan and ran, didn’t even see the Ronin til it was on top of me.” The two fingers that remained on her left hand twitched around the figurine. “I ran and left him there. Kanan was crying, screaming into my shoulder but I heard...I heard Dave. When I looked back I couldn’t see him, there were Daemons everywhere. If I’d just gone back for him-”

“Then you would have died,” Cor interjected, leaning over to pull his jacket back up over her shoulder from where it was slipping down, not that it would make much of a difference when they were both soaked to the bone. “Both you and Kanan would have died there, in that field and no one would have been any wiser. We would have sent more people out looking for you, more people who would have potentially been lost. You did the right thing. You gave Kanan a fighting chance. There was nothing more you could have done Iris.”

“But it should have been me!” She protested, sitting up and shrugging his arm off of her shoulder. “I should have been the one to die! It was my duty! Dave wouldn’t have missed the Ronin, he wouldn’t have let Kanan contract the Scourge!” Cor remained silent as she shouted, climbing to her feet, stumbling ever so slightly before catching herself. “It’s my fault that they died! They’re all dead because I wasn’t strong enough!” 

Standing slowly, Cor kept his eyes on her as he rose “Do you think I’m responsible for your father’s death? For all of the lives lost back in Insomnia?” He questioned.

Her mouth remained open for a few seconds before she violently shook her head “Of course not! It’s the Empire’s fault!”

“Then how is Dave’s death, Kanan’s death, your fault?” 

“Because I wasn’t strong enough!” She screamed, throwing her arms wide and looking at him with disbelieving eyes “I ran away like a scared child when I should have stayed and fought!” 

“Then should I not also be blamed for the deaths of so many? I did, after all, leave the city when the Wall fell and the Old Wall was summoned. Instead of going back and looking for survivors, going to help your father and my King, I fled with a few refugees into the Lucian countryside.” 

“You were following orders, Uncle Regis’ orders. How is-”

“And you were following Dave’s,” Cor said sternly but gentle enough to not agitate her further. Closing the distance in only a few steps he reached out to grasp her right arm. “You did what he asked you to do Iris, you followed your orders and you got both yourself and Kanan to safety. Staying behind to fight by his side would have saved no one. You would have died with him, then who would have saved Kanan? He would have been torn apart by Daemons.” A harsh truth, one that had her flinching in his hold, but one she needed to hear. 

“He still died,” Iris lamented, her voice barely audible over the storm.

“Yes, he did. But he died in safety, surrounded by people who cared about him and in a warm bed, away from the horrors and suffering he would have otherwise gone through.” His hands came up to cradle her face, wiping away tears and raindrops alike. “You did well Iris. Your father would be so proud of you. I am proud of you.”

“It hurts Cor.” She whimpered, “It hurts so much.” 

Pulling her into his arms, he held her tightly as she dissolved into sobs, her fingers clutching his shirt. “I know it does,” He murmured into her hair, “It’ll be okay, we just have to keep fighting and hold the memories of those we have lost close to our hearts. We show them that their sacrifice was not in vain.”


End file.
